ARW is the initial based moniker of Jon Anderson, original singer for Yes, Trevor Rabin, guitarist for Yes in part of the 1980s, and Rick Wakeman, Yes’s most elaborate, talented keyboardist. ARW appeared at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre on Monday, October 10th for the current tour of the US, UK and Europe, “The Music of Yes and More”.
The stage set was amazing, obviously influenced by the aura that Anderson prefers around himself. The set involved spiritual, earth, astronomical, and psychedelic elements projected onto the lovely work of art at the back, which appeared to be either the sun rising between two mountains or a lotus flower. It was a perfect setting within the historic Fox Theatre for the evening’s lovely music.
Trevor Rabin was the first person to approach the front edge of the stage. His guitar playing was precisely timed and synced with Wakeman’s keyboard playing, excepting guitar solos or acoustic sections. He had a great amount of energy, wandering the huge stage up to Wakeman’s area (about one sixth of the stage) over the set duration.
Keyboardist extraordinaire Rick Wakeman wore an appropriate wizard-like long black cloak with silver adornments around the collar and sequins around the hem. He was in good spirits and quite jovial when band members came to his stage area to talk, smile or jam. He was quite at home with six to eight different keyboards surrounding him. His playing was on point with its typical wondrous progressive rock melodies and flourishes all night. His performance concreted his place in the echelon of top art rock keyboardists.
Anderson set the mood with his unique high tenor singing and expert tambourine playing, sweeping arms flowing to the music, dancing, pointing, clapping, percussion playing (maracas and Manjira, small hand cymbals), and acoustic guitar playing on “Rhythm of Love”. He was appreciative of the band, introducing them twice.
Anderson’s singing was as strong and punctual as ever, sounding just as good at the Fox Theatre in 2016 as it had in the early 1980s when he sang hits “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “Lift Me Up”, both penned by Rabin. His vocal flexibility was on display during the scales of “Awaken”, 1977’s Going for the One opus that lasted about 20 minutes, during which Wakeman soloed on keyboard and Anderson played a double tambourine, and then later a small harp as Rabin harmonized on guitar. Anderson and Wakeman had a duet onstage as the rest of the band took a break during “The Meeting.” Anderson expressed at the song’s introduction, “30 years ago, I played with Rick Wakeman in ABWH [Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe]. We recorded this song in the Caribbean on the first take.”
The rhythm section showed talent throughout the technically intense music, and were also given spotlights. Lee Pomeroy played his Rickenbacker bass left-handed. He had a bass solo at the beginning of “Heart of the Sunrise” and “Yours is No Disgrace”, where he came up to the front of stage. Drummer Louis Moleno III stood a bit during the breakdown on “Yours is No Disgrace”, and had a drum solo after “I’ve Seen All Good People.”
